1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to a projectile, and more specifically to a projectile of the expanding or mushrooming type. A method of manufacturing the projectile is also provided.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Generally expansion projectiles are comprised of a soft lead or other malleable core and surrounded by a more structurally sound metal jacket. The metal jacket is necessary to allow the projectile to withstand the heat of the explosion within a firearm upon its firing. The jacket will not generally cover the entire projectile core. In order to allow for expansion of the projectile upon impact, the nose of the projectile will not be covered by the jacket. Instead the nose will merely comprise the exposed soft lead core. This expansion projectile type is often referred to as the soft point expansion bullet.
Additional features of the soft point expansion bullet may include a hallowing out of the lead core near the nose or the addition of a dense or less malleable insert thereinto. These expansion projectile designs are disclosed and discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,000 to Schreiber for a "Projectile and Method of Making the Same" and U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,711 to Darigo, et. al. for a "Process of Forming Jacketed Projectiles".
Expansion projectiles are designed to deform significantly upon impact. Significant deformation of the projectile prevents its passage completely through targeted material. This maximizes the rapid lethality of the projectile. For example, wild game struck by a non-expanding projectile will generally survive a longer period of time and experience a less humane death than those struck by an expanding projectile capable of maximizing lethality due to its expansive action.
A second projectile type, the subsonic projectile, is desirable for military and police operations. In most basic designs, a projectile will exit a firearm at a speed greater than 1086 feet/sec. This supersonic speed provides the advantage of a maximum straight-line trajectory as well as reduced wind effects. However, there is a drawback to utilizing such projectiles in certain situations. Projectiles which achieve supersonic speeds generate an audible sound. This sound travels with the projectile along the course of its supersonic flight path. As a result, the origin of the projectile, the firearm, can be more readily traced and located. Obviously, there are occasions, during a military operation, for example, where traceability of the origin of the projectile would be disadvantageous to the firearms operator. As a result, subsonic ammunition has been developed. One means of obtaining subsonic ammunition speed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,904 to Beal for "Subsonic Ammunition".
Unfortunately subsonic ammunition also has its disadvantages. Namely, subsonic ammunition cannot adequately deform upon impact as in the case of expansion projectiles. This is due to the relatively low speed at which the subsonic projectile travels. For example, in the case of the soft point bullet, the low speed of the subsonic projectile prevents adequate deformation with respect to the projectile's metal jacket casing. The soft point expansion bullet will complete its travel with deformation of its malleable nose and only partial expansion, if any, of its jacket.
In order to enhance jacket expansion the prior art reveals the use of jacket pleats or scoring as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,838,000 and 3,349,711. However, these features alone do not ensure jacket expansion of a subsonic projectile. The present invention overcomes inadequacies of the prior art and provides the first truly subsonic expansion projectile.